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After interviewing some of the world's most established and up-and-coming illustrators for this pro-tips series, one thing is clear. No matter how you work or what media or software you choose, your concept or idea is the most important part of your work.
The talented illustrators and designers here ensure everyone knows this before offering valuable software and industry-specific advice to help you advance your skills and careers.
He may know most of these tips, but even one nugget he didn't know would improve his job. So, before diving into this novel concept, heed some great advice for getting the most out of Illustrator and taking your work to the next level.
“Always ask your client what he wants the final image to look like. If you don't want to, it's easy to draw a large rectangle over the last image, press down the Ctrl key, Right-click, and select "Create Clipping Mask." This will crop the artwork into the shape you drew.”
"I use a Wacom tablet, so I'm a big fan of the pen tool. Bezier curves take time to learn, but they're a very efficient way to get the exact lines and shapes you need." Use Alt/Option to drag, make a copy instead of copy and paste, and learn all the tool shortcuts to save valuable time.
"Think about the art of creating a piece. A full-color image from a print magazine approaches it differently than spray paint on a wall. Our wall decal illustrations are simple, It has to be one dimensional and easy to cut out, so I use the 60's and 70's style of basic shapes."
"Don't be afraid to remove elements to create a composition you're happy with. Before drawing an illustration, I usually think a lot about the image, but I always start with lines and shapes and remove them." There is; also, you take half of what you draw, and the illustration evolves from there.”
"From the beginning he will work in CMYK and the final image will be a vector, but try sending it as a TIFF. Of course, the client can request his AI file, so take Aaron Miller's advice."
"Keep track of your layers, I usually have a lot on each piece - and keep things organized. I usually prefer to use Illustrator's selection, Direct selection, and Pen tools. The software I don't want the wealth of (admittedly very good) tools to get in the way of my vision.It's all about simplicity and execution."
“The perfect way to start a project is in a sketchbook. Put your ideas down on paper and go crazy. Spread your ideas, observe, and record everything that comes to mind. When I plan an image, usually everything comes from keywords and sketches, and the rest is a matter of layout. ”
"I love Smart Guides in Illustrator, a great feature introduced in CS4. It was very scary and I was surely nervous at first, but now I can't stop using them. They allow me to structure objects very quickly. can be It also helps align shapes and nodes while drawing. It will actually help save you a lot of time."
"Master the Pathfinder tool. Use it to its full potential to quickly and easily create shapes without the cumbersome pen tool."
“Always keep stylistic consistency in mind for all elements of your illustration. Adding too many different styles or adding too many distorted shapes can make your illustration look less authoritative. Try to add your own style to every vector element in your work, no matter how small. This keeps you consistent. ”
"You can try a kind of digital photorealism with gradients and gradient meshes, and with the clever use of shadows and glows. But just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it. Illustration If you're trying to achieve that kind of effect in , use Photoshop, collage techniques, or shoot a finished composition."
“The most important part of illustration is the message. The most common mistake many illustrators make is forgetting about their audience. Your goal is to reach the right people and get your client's message across to them. The main key is to do research and know your audience. It's not what you like.”
Conclusion
Vector designing is a tough niche, but it is amazing once you get a hold of it. All these tips will make sure to improve your vector skills in no time. Using different tools, especially starting from the basics, will make a difference.